SHIN SPLINTS NO MORE
Shin splints, medically known as medial tibial stress syndrome, is a collective term used to describe multiple conditions that cause shin pain. Therefore, it is important to establish that there is not one singular cause.
5 COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PHYSIOTHERAPISTS – PART 2
Myth 1: When you see a physiotherapist you just lie on the bed and get given an ice or heat pack.
At Physio Fusion we use an active approach to treatments. Physiotherapy will include manual hands-on therapy to facilitate tissue healing and tissue load tolerance alongside an exercise program individualized to your needs.
Myth 2: If I have elbow pain then the injury must be in my elbow.
The area of pain is not always the area that is the issue! It may be a result of a previous injury that was never fully rehabilitated. This is where we can help you out. Our assessment will consist of gathering information on your presenting complaint, any previous injuries or traumas (physical and emotional) and a medical history followed by an objective evaluation of your body. This allows us to get to the root cause of the pain and manage your symptoms most effectively.
Myth 3: I can’t do any of my normal activities while I attend physiotherapy.
Not true! Our Physiotherapists want to keep you as functional as possible whilst allowing your injury to heal. During the initial assessment your physiotherapist will determine what activities you can do and advise you on those that must be avoided. You will then be given clear and timely objectives to ensure you reach your goals to get you back doing what you love!
Myth 4: A scan will show me exactly what is wrong.
Sometimes it will, but sometimes it won’t. It’s no secret that our bodies change as we age, so even people without pain are likely to have an imperfect scan. Medical imaging can sometimes play an important role in the assessment and management of your musculoskeletal issue. When necessary, your physiotherapist will know what type of imaging to refer you for.
Myth 5: Is cracking my back/neck/knuckles bad for me?
There is no strong evidence to suggest that ‘cracking’ your joints causes degeneration, laxity or instability. The ‘cracking’ occurs when we move a joint to its end range. The audible sound happens because of ‘cavitation’ in the joint; this involves gas bubbles popping within the fluid surrounding the joint as pressures change.
But is it good to crack?
Self manipulation can be a helpful way to reduce the feeling of stiffness or tightness. If you are finding that you need to ‘crack your joints’ often it is good to know that there are many other more beneficial ways to provide greater long term relief.
Top tips:
- Ask your physiotherapist to provide you with some specific exercises to help you overcome the feeling of stiffness or tightness.
- Move regularly and avoid movements or positions that exacerbate your symptoms until you have been seen by your physiotherapist.
CONNECTING WITH OUR CLIENTS THROUGH TELEHEALTH
What is Telehealth?
The Health Resources Services Administration defines telehealth as “the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health and health administration. Technologies include videoconferencing, the internet, store-and-forward imaging, streaming media, and terrestrial and wireless communications”.
Here at Physio Fusion, we will be conducting video consultations for existing and new clients. You will see the same, experienced staff as you would on site at either our Henderson or New Windsor Branch. With the exception of the hands on aspects, we strive to continue to provide you with the same level of education, advice and exercise progression as you would receive in person.
Telehealth Benefits for Patients:
- Better access to services for residents/ workers in remote areas (Al-Shorbaji 2013, Bourne et al 2017, Cooper & Allen 2017, Nelson et al 2017) found that this can improve access to care services for clients in isolated areas and virtual consults can address access barriers for patients living in rural locales.
- More convenient access to services (people avoid the travel and scheduling challenges of attending face-to-face appointments and can access some services after-hours).
- The ability for patients to ask quick questions without having to book a full consultation
- Access to high-quality online resources, including videos and digital tools
Telehealth benefits for Physiotherapists:
- Access to an untapped pool of clinical resources: (Hunt et al 2014): Virtual health programmes offer benefits to clinicians who are looking for increased flexibility in their working life (e.g. semi-retired clinicians or those seeking an improved work/life balance). If offered, this may enable healthcare providers to attract and retain a high-quality workforce, improve staff satisfaction, and access highly specialized resources to improve quality of care.
What is Physitrack and how does it work?
Physitrack is an exercise prescription platform that lets you prescribe home exercises to our clients. It is a program that you as a customer can download for free on your smartphone, tablet or open it with your computer. The videos show how you can perform an exercise correctly and clearly. There are also more than 90 standard exercise protocols and videos with clear explanations about specific complaints or conditions.
How does it work?
Together we determine which exercises are most suitable for you and add these to your program. You will then receive an email with the link to download the Physitrack / app and the link to the program online. Your personal login code is also stated in the same email. If you have downloaded the Physitrack or clicked on the link and enter your password, you can enter your preferences in the program, such as setting reminders. Then you can start with the exercises in a correct and clear manner and contribute to your own recovery!
The attached document is designed to help you prepare for your Telehealth call. PhysiApp_Telehealth_call
What will happen once my appointment is booked?
- Your Physiotherapist will send an email with more details on how the consultation will take place.
- Before your appointment you will receive another email from Physitrack with a link to where the consultation will take place.
- Make sure that you have a working camera and microphone.
- Make sure you’re using a modern browser, such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Microsoft Edge.
- If you are using a mobile device for your consultation, you will be prompted to download Physitrack app Please do this and then click join as a guest.
- We ask that you get online 10 minutes before your appointment and click on a link to join the consultation.
- If you are using a computer, make sure your camera and microphone are available and enabled.
- Please ensure that you have enough space in case you are required too perform exercises.
What happens if internet is interrupted or my technology fails during the consultation?
If we can call you, we will attempt to continue and complete the consultation via face time.
Here’s how to book your first Telehealth Consultation with us
Save time and book your appointments online with Physio Fusion 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can book your appointments via phone or online